STM 141

A single communication device, no bigger than a child’s head. The darker the color, the better the performance, and the one Doctor Kim was looking at now was black.

That’s why it could connect all the way to that distant Acorn Forest. But there was no response.

She wondered if Black Bear had handled things well, and if Lu had understood her letter and was successfully coaxing Tairok.

But what intrigued her most was their relationship. Lu boasted about how well he was doing, but it was nonsense.

She knew this from experience. Her own nephew had acted just like Lu, full of bravado. Come to think of it, weren’t there other similarities too?

Her nephew also hated physical contact. From a young age, he dreaded touching anyone outside the family to the point it seemed like he might have a phobia.

Because of that, he’d even gotten into big fights at school. Her concerns preceded reprimands.

What if he ended up getting ostracized? Then the youngster sighed like an old man.

‘Auntie, I’m popular. Really popular.’

Now she could barely remember her nephew’s voice, and his image in her memory has faded like an old photo album with poor resolution.

But perhaps because it was a similar kind of bravado, Team Leader Kim overlapped with that image. But it was just a coincidence. He wasn’t the same person.

Doctor Kim shook her head. Even if it wasn’t a coincidence, there was no way her nephew would have thrown himself into this dangerous suicide mission just to see her.

Even though they lived under the same roof, Doctor Kim’s mother had mostly handled raising him, and she herself had been too consumed by work.

She stayed up all night in the lab and only returned home once or twice a week. Their interactions were literally just confirming each other’s survival.

But on her days off, she’d occasionally take the kid to exhibitions or to popular restaurants. Her nephew didn’t seem particularly fond of it.

In the car on the way to and from places, even when she always initiated questions first, her nephew would cut off the flow of conversation with short answers, so music always filled the emptiness.

However, after her nephew passed through adolescence, he began taking care of household matters big and small in place of her ailing mother, and surprisingly, their conversations increased.

At first, she was proud, but later, the nagging grew so much it was infuriating. But that was it. They were just a relationship where they only contacted each other for what was strictly necessary.

Yeah, it wasn’t what you’d call a close relationship. So there was no way her nephew would risk his life to come all the way to Tubain just to see her. Ten years had already passed; he probably forgot she even existed.

And he shouldn’t be struggling here to save Earth. If he must fight, he should be doing it back home, with his friends and loved ones.

“Matriarch, are you waiting for Black Bear’s contact?”

Doctor Kim lifted her eyes from the communication device when she heard Solongo’s voice.

“Stopping a fight between sword masters isn’t easy.”

“Didn’t she volunteer to take on that difficult task herself? She said she’d save even Tairok if it meant saving Lord Lu.”

Doctor Kim wore a wry smile as she recalled Black Bear at the time.

“I didn’t expect her to believe in Lu so much.”

“If Lord Lu is Salvation, anyone would become a fervent believer.”

Doctor Kim slightly squinted at Solongo’s earnest voice. She looked at her for a moment, then shook her head.

“Even if it were the true Salvation, he’d deny it to the end. But if Lu is really Salvation…”

Doctor Kim paused for a moment, then murmured.

“He might be able to make a place for himself here and live well.”

“The matriarch is also…”

“Didn’t you come to report something?”

Solongo quickly changed her words and delivered the news.

“It’s been confirmed that the hunting tournament scheduled for a few days from now has been postponed. Traditionally, the hunting tournament begin by lighting the sacred brazier known as the Eternal Flame.”

“Did someone tamper with that brazier?”

“No.”

Solongo smiled and shook her head.

“Only specific individuals can light and extinguish that brazier. Only certain priests with exceptionally high divine power, capable of responding to the brazier, can do it.”

Solongo continued her explanation fluently, she was well-versed in the temple.

“However, corruption committed by a priest capable of handling the brazier suddenly came to light this time. Therefore, they must bring in a new priest to handle the brazier, and the only suitable candidate is someone named ‘Sidro’. Unfortunately, it seems this person is located far away, where no long-distance portals are installed.”

Solongo’s smile didn’t fade despite her words. Doctor Kim chuckled softly and confirmed once more.

“So it’s definitely postponed?”

“Yes. It’s been pushed back. They said they’d set a new date once the brazier is ready. But.”

Solongo paused, something bothered her.

“What is it?”

“They requested to use Adeye portal to bring Priest Sidro from the temple. It seemed they wanted us to handle all transportation arrangements entirely.”

“The temple is always trying to rip off whatever they can get their hands on.”

It happens all the time, so what’s the problem? Solongo frowned at Doctor Kim’s words.

“This time it was a bit much. They acted like it was only natural for us to handle it…”

“Do you think they noticed that we exposed the priest’s corruption?”

“I’m not sure…”

Solongo muttered, but then raised her voice reassuringly.

“But I won’t let my guard down until the original date of the hunting tournament passes. Then Lord Lu will definitely be safe.”

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“…Who?”

Tairok glared at Black Bear, finally saying a single word after a long pause. I nervously glanced at him and pointed at Black Bear again.

“Mrs. Ekaf. I was wandering through the fog and stumbled into the forest by chance. Then, by another incredible coincidence, we met like this.”

I kept an eye on her while introducing them, but fortunately, she didn’t react. She just stood there with her hands behind her back, looking as distant as a far-off mountain.

Just as I expected, it seemed she and Doctor Kim had coordinated beforehand. Doctor Kim should have told me properly if she wanted to inform me. It’s not like it’s some kind of code. Thank goodness I’m quick-witted and smart… 

“Are you from the Sarne family?”

Tairok abruptly asked. I whirled around to face him. What? How did he know that right away?

Unlike me, who was surprised, Black Bear was sensitive to the name Sarne. Her eyes burned with a murderous glint.

“Don’t associate that filthy name with me.”

“To me, the name Ekaf is just as filthy.”

Black Bear, still unaware of the situation in the Acorn Forest, raised her eyebrows. It was my turn to speak.

“Actually, Mrs. Ekaf has been living cut off from the world all this time…”

“Cut off? Ah, in the Acorn Forest?”

Tairok immediately sneered. It seemed he was even more furious that the landowner he’d been searching for lived right in his own backyard. I tried to explain again.

“No, Mrs. Ekaf hasn’t been in the forest for very long either…”

“I suppose so. Bayan’s group was chasing her. Thanks to her, Sarne’s vermin invaded Kun’s land.”

The more I spoke, the worse it got. What’s his problem today?

“Well, Mrs. Ekaf had a difficult situation. The Sarne family harassed her first…”

“A difficult situation? If she had a grudge against Sarne, she shouldn’t have stopped me from fighting Bayan.”

Tairok thrust his sword forward and asked menacingly.

“Why did you help me? What was your purpose?”

Before I could step in with another useless mediation attempt, Black Bear spoke up for the first time.

“I didn’t help you. It was for Salvation’s sake.”

My hand, which had been reaching out to restrain Tairok, froze mid-air. Tairok also paused, but slowly turned his head toward me.

I flinched when faced with his gaze. It felt like he was looking at a traitor. As if I had saved someone else, not him. I found myself making excuses.

“No. I never said I was Salvation. You misunderstood because I can see Mrs. Ekaf’s divine beast…”

“Misunderstanding?”

“…How could it be a misunderstanding? I am Salvation.”

This is why people shouldn’t lie. I reluctantly admitted it and turned back, but an even heavier gaze awaited me.

Hearing the word “Salvation” from my own mouth seemed to make her belief in me soar even higher. Black Bear’s eyes were sparkling brightly. Tairok glared at her.

“What kind of divine beast? You mean to say Sarne’s divine beast chose that person long ago?”

“Yes, that’s correct.”